Users will now control the Instagram feed: The end of random reach

The head of Instagram confirmed the launch of the new “Your Algorithm” feature. Now, users will be able to edit their interest lists themselves and tell the AI which topics to whitelist and which — to send to a lifetime ban. 

The feature is not new — it has been tested in Reels since late 2025, was added to Explore in spring 2026, and reached the main feed in June 2026.

What has changed

Instagram uses large language models that analyze content and cluster it into thematic groups. Now, users will be able to manually edit this list. 

Mosseri announced three ways to access the settings: 

• Pulling the feed down — the topic editing panel pops up.

• Swiping up on Reels — a window appears to quickly add a topic to the whitelist or blacklist.

• Buttons below Reels — plates below the videos allow users to immediately mark similar content as unwanted. 

What this means for affiliate marketing

In 2026, Instagram changed its ranking priorities. Mosseri confirmed that the main signals for the AI are watch time, direct message shares, and likes. However, manual cleaning of the algorithm by users can wipe out even good statistics. 

New challenges for media buyers

• Instant burnout of reach. For aggressive clickbait and pushiness, users will start downvoting your offer's topic en masse using quick-access buttons, causing the algorithm to turn off impressions for the campaign or account.

• Spam no longer works. Identical, overused setups aimed at a random hook lose their effectiveness. Once a user removes a topic from their interests, advertising in that direction is blocked for them, resetting the optimization.

• Penalties for reposts. The social network has introduced strict punishments for unoriginal content — creatives with watermarks or someone else's uniquely altered Reels won't make it to Explore or Reels at all.

The time is coming when the quality of warm-up, native presentation, and unique visuals decide everything. The winners will be those who abandon aggressive clickbait, start using carousels, and switch to creating high-quality videos that users will not only want to watch until the end, but also save and share with their friends.